Over the past six months, our world and life has changed. From how we shop to how we work, we’ve learned to rely on technology to adapt. We access workouts on our phones or laptops, the school year kicked off virtually and family celebrations moved from celebrating in person to celebrating in a virtual environment that requires fast WIFI to remain connected to one another. These changes emphasize how important technology is in our everyday lives.
Our devices have become the indispensable lifeline that connects us to our community and our livelihoods. The result? Shoppers are spending both time and money to ensure they have the best tech, wireless and Internet service setup. Annual global searches have surged for everything from entertainment electronic sources like "best gaming phone" to educational needs like "laptop for students."
It comes as no surprise that this year, consumers report they have spent 30% more on consumer electronics. To better understand the new tech landscape and what motivates consumers to buy consumer electronics’ products, Google partnered with Greenberg and Boston Consulting Group. The research revealed the key ingredients for a full funnel approach designed to meet the rising consumer demands and drive long-term business success with our learnings.
Inspire awareness and consideration with visually compelling, immersive ad formats
Many narrow their consideration set early on in their shopping journey, with as many as 90% of telco subscriptions considered at the start of the journey.
Drive awareness and consideration with powerful visuals to personalize the shopping journey for your audiences. 82% of United States shoppers say product information and pictures are important to them when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from*. To gain their attention, use engaging visual formats, like Discovery ads, to reach up to 2.6 billion consumers on YouTube, Discover and Gmail—as shoppers are open to trying new brands to drive awareness.
Another key driver is an immersive product demonstration. Video engagement spikes in categories where there is more information needed, such as mobile wireless and home internet categories. YouTube is the consumer platform of choice, driving between 85-90% of engagement in these categories. Enable shoppers to watch product demos, discover brand services and value with YouTube.
When experiences are highly personalized, shoppers are more than twice as likely to add items to their shopping carts and 40% more likely to spend more than planned. Connect your media to engage with audiences that are new, existing, or going through major life events to personalize their shopping journey. Those moving are 2x more motivated by internet activation speed, so there is no time to waste as a consumer begins this research process to drive brand awareness.
Close the sale with seamless search and shopping experiences
An astounding 85% of consumers will take a product-related action within 24 hours of discovering a product. In light of COVID-19, consumers are factoring the value of products more than ever before. Google Shopping helps facilitate comparison shopping on key shopping decisions, such as competitive pricing and promotions, as shoppers are ready to take the next step in their shopping journey.
By driving useful search experiences by answering key questions, featuring product and service highlights—retailers can better engage shoppers. Mobile wireless and home internet is relatively split between category and retailer-specific. It’s important to attract shoppers as they move from category to brand searches to help establish a strong brand-shopper experience.
With 70% of shoppers reporting site speed impacts their purchase decisions, having a streamlined website and app experience is vital. Enable frictionless experiences on both a carrier’s site and app to boost likelihood of conversions.
For more on how to drive brand love with customers, read our Building Telecom Brand Love research here.
*Source: Google / Ipsos, Global Retail Study, Feb 2019. Base: Total sample (n=1019) United States online 18+ who shopped in the last week.
Researched by Google, Boston Consulting Group, and Greenberg
Written by Chris Valle, Scott Falzone, and Rachelle Considine
This article is sponsored
Appealing to the Tech Shopper
Google is Here to Help Tech Brands this Holiday Season
Trend Themes
1. Visual Immersion - Use visually compelling, immersive ad formats to inspire awareness and consideration and attract consumers' attention through engaging visual formats.
2. Personalization - Implementing tailored experiences increases the likelihood of adding items to shopping carts and spending more than planned.
3. Seamless Search Experience - Optimizing a brand's website and app can drive conversions and increase site speed, an essential factor that impacts purchase decisions.
Industry Implications
1. Consumer Electronics - Consumer electronics demand is on the rise, and leveraging immersive visual ads, personalization, and streamlined search experiences can increase sales and drive growth.
2. Telecom - With a staggering 90% of telco subscriptions considered at the start of the shopping journey, brands should focus on visually compelling ads and search optimization to drive awareness and convert users.
3. Retail - As consumers increasingly factor value when purchasing products, retail brands can leverage immersive ads and frictionless search experiences to drive awareness, consideration, and conversions, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.